BOARD00110 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 1/23/2007
• Description: CF Section - Review of Water Related Legislation - OWC - Expanding the CWCB Water Efficiency Grant Program - ISF - Protection of Water Rights Loaned to CWCB for ISF Use
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD

Department of Natural Resources
Bill Ritter, Jr., Governor .
Harris D. Sherman, DNR Executive Director
Rod Kuharich, CWCB Director January 2007

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SENATE BILL 07-008
EXP ANDING THE CWCB WATER EFFICIENCY GRANT PROGRAM

Background

The Office of Water Conservation & Drought
Planning (OWCDP) administers two grant programs
with separate funding sources.

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One grant program (created by HB 04-1365) funds
the development of water conservation plans and
drought mitigation plans (~37-60-126 & ~37-60-126.5
c.R.S.). Funding for this program comes from the
CWCB's authorized 5 percent share of the
Operational Account of the Severance Tax Trust
Fund. Large water providers are eligible for water
conservation and drought mitigation planning grants,
while state and local governmental entities are only
eligible for drought mitigation planning monies.

The second grant program (created by HB 05-1254) is
the Water Efficiency Grant Program. This program's
funding comes from an annual $500,000
appropriation for three years, commencing in July
2005. Funding comes from the un-obligated
"reserve" balance of the entire Operational Account
of the Severance Tax Trust fund.

The Water Efficiency Grant Program is designed to
provide funding to achieve water efficiency goals
outlined in locally adopted water conservation plans
and promote water efficiency. Large water providers
with current water conservation plans and "agencies"
are eligible for these funds. The CWCB was also
provided with funding to administer the program (up
to $80,000 for the three fiscal years of the grant
program).

What the Bill does:

1) Broadens the use of the Water Elliciency
Grant Program Fund to include water
conservation planning and implementation,
education and public outreach, and drought
mitigation planning and implementation.

This change provides the OWCDP greater
latitude in administering the grant funds for
projects allowing for variability related to the
demand and need for funds for either planning or
implementation over time. As more entities have
plans, the more funds for implementation will be
necessary. It provides predictable funding for
planning which must be completed before money
for implementation of plans is provided.

2) Increases the Funding for the Water
EfBciency Grant Program.

The Bill appropriates an additional $500,000 per
year through fiscal year 2011. This increases the
total amount of funding to $3 million. This
money will be used to meet increased demands.

The CWCB is also requesting an additional
appropriation of $200,000 into the Water
Efficiency Grant Program Fund to administer the
expanded purposes of the Fund. Funds to
administer the Program Fund would be
appropriated in the amount of $50,000 each fiscal
year through 2012, when the Fund would sunset.

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For more information contact Veva McCaig at the CWCR at [phone].
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721, Denver, CO 80203
Phone: [phone]. Fax: [phone]
Website : www.cwcb.state.co.us